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Eug Wanker · Jun 7, 2004, 01:10 PM

Welcome to your wireless life. AirPort sets you aloft in a digital world free of inconvenient and unsightly cables and complicated networking hardware.

Whether you choose AirPort Express or AirPort Extreme, you�re just a few mouseclicks away from wirelessly connecting to the Internet, as well as to the other Mac or Windows computers in your home, classroom or office. AirPort Express lets up to 10 Mac or Windows users share the same Internet connection, so everyone in your family can surf the web or send and receive email from virtually anywhere in the house � wirelessly. Perfect for home, school or the office, AirPort Extreme provides access for up 50 Mac and Windows users to connect to the Internet wirelessly or to form a robust wireless network so they can share their work and files with each other.

Musical Freedom
With AirPort Express, your wireless freedom extends even beyond access to the Internet and your network. Featuring AirTunes, AirPort Express lets you play your iTunes music on your stereo or powered speakers in just about any room in your house.(2) No need to connect any cables from your computer to your stereo � your iTunes music on your AirPort-equipped Mac or Wi-Fi-compliant PC plays through your stereo wirelessly, turning your stereo into the world�s best digital jukebox.

Revel in your carefully constructed iTunes playlists. Shuffle your entire iTunes library. Take advantage of the iTunes Party Shuffle feature. AirPort Express unbinds you from your computer so that you can enjoy and share the jukebox wizardry of iTunes virtually anywhere in the house.

Krypton · Jun 7, 2004, 01:16 PM

"AirTunes requires iTunes 4.6 or later."

This is just the sort of thing I've been looking forward to.

Eug Wanker · Jun 7, 2004, 01:20 PM

Is the main Airport page screwed up for you too? It looks like they have the wrong graphic inserted in the composite title image or something.

I'd post a screengrab but I don't access to my ftp from here.

Krypton · Jun 7, 2004, 01:24 PM

Looks fine to me. The main Apple page has an ugly border round the main graphic though.

Those darn work experience students

xdude · Jun 7, 2004, 01:25 PM

Tie this in with an iPod and you're good to go!

Krypton · Jun 7, 2004, 01:26 PM

BTW, an iTunes 4.6 release would likely coincide in the Euro store launch no?

Eug Wanker · Jun 7, 2004, 01:29 PM

Originally posted by Krypton:
Looks fine to me. The main Apple page has an ugly border round the main graphic though.

Those darn work experience students

Not the main Apple page but the main Airport page.

http://www.apple.com/airport/

I'm on Windows 2000 with IE 6 if that makes a difference. (I just cleared the cache and I still get a screwed up image.)

BrunoBruin · Jun 7, 2004, 01:30 PM

Well, I guess this is the major Apple announcement rumored for this week.

iTunes 4.6 should be available later this week, according to MacMinute.

gorickey · Jun 7, 2004, 01:32 PM

Very cool.

Great price as well...

adam1185 · Jun 7, 2004, 01:36 PM

wow, this is exactly what i was looking for. I'm quite impressed. And it seems like a good price as well. Hopefully they add it to the Apple Canada store right away so I can order.

jorgem4 · Jun 7, 2004, 01:38 PM

Does this mean that I can buy a wireless base satation now for $129 better yet $119 edu...and don't need to drop $179 on an airport extreme? What is the catch? Less users 10 vs. 50...but what else? is the range reduced? Cause other wise the little gizmo looks wonderful!

cenutrio · Jun 7, 2004, 01:43 PM

Extremely smart for a very good price!

Landos Mustache · Jun 7, 2004, 01:43 PM

http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/

Expensive, does it work with 3rd party routers? If so I will get it.

vmarks · Jun 7, 2004, 01:46 PM

lets see.

10 users
USB print server
802.11g
airtunes.

$129.

Compare to SMC wireless router with print server. Less users for apple, but airtunes.

Compare to slimp3 or other music networked devices.
Much less in price, but no control from the device itself, must control from the computer.
slimp3 and similar devices do not handle any of the routing and usb print serving.

Potential for problems in the workplace: this is the smallest base station I have seen yet. How easy would it be to plug this to the electricity at a cubicle and have it go completely unnoticed...

It is indeed an intriguing device. I'm very happy that it does bridging. I think I know exactly where I want one in my house.

starman · Jun 7, 2004, 01:49 PM

Ok, let's say my G5 is wired, but I want to stream to my stereo upstairs. I get an AE card for my G5. Will my Mac be smart enough to keep itself on the wired network and still stream over WiFi, or are Macs stuck on only one kind of connection?

I'm guessing I'd have to switch network connections when I want to do this.

Are they in the stores yet?

Mike

Landos Mustache · Jun 7, 2004, 01:49 PM

Originally posted by vmarks:
lets see.

10 users
USB print server
802.11g
airtunes.

$129.

Oh I guess I am a little confused. I thought this is something that you have to add to your existing airport base station.

This thing is a stand alone base-station then?

The only problem I see is that people don't normally keep the printer and a ethernet hub close to the stereo.

Landos Mustache · Jun 7, 2004, 01:49 PM

Originally posted by starman:
Are they in the stores yet?

Mike

Mid july.

"Add Music to Your Current Wireless Network
If you already have a wireless network in place, you can use AirPort Express to add music to its capabilities. Let�s say, for example, you have AirPort Extreme set up in your den. There�s no need to scrap this setup and create a whole new one with an AirPort Express Base Station, your DSL or cable modem, printer and stereo all in one place. Simply connect AirPort Express to your stereo in your favorite music room and plug it into an electrical outlet � it wirelessly links to your existing network, letting you play your music in your room of choice without moving anything or connecting anything else."

vmarks · Jun 7, 2004, 01:51 PM

Originally posted by Landos Mustache:
http://www.apple.com/airportexpress/

Expensive, does it work with 3rd party routers? If so I will get it.

"AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express can extend the range only of an AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express wireless network."

HOWEVER: I expect that the other base stations using the same chipset as Apple uses (broadcom, in linksys, etc.) may mean other bases work- just aren't officially supported.

starman · Jun 7, 2004, 01:52 PM

Crud. Who decided that? This is something we need NOW for BBQ's.

Mike

starman · Jun 7, 2004, 01:58 PM

Ok, here's what confuses me. Their description sounds like that the "wireless network" is the MAIN network. Mine isn't. Mine's there as a convenience for the Xbox/PS2/TiVo upstairs (using a bridge), and my laptop. Everything else (G5's, PC's) is wired.

The description leads you to believe that you can connect from a WIRED computer THROUGH your wireless router to the the Airport Express, but I'm not sure how that would work if your router is encrypted or hides its SSID.

It's like the Linksys bridge I have - you have to physically connect it to your PC to set it up.

Mike

Landos Mustache · Jun 7, 2004, 01:59 PM

Originally posted by vmarks:
"AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express can extend the range only of an AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express wireless network."

HOWEVER: I expect that the other base stations using the same chipset as Apple uses (broadcom, in linksys, etc.) may mean other bases work- just aren't officially supported.

So you can't use the express as a stand alone unless everything is unwired as it only has one ethernet port.

But starman question is a good one. I have a wired network and an unwired one, I want the G5 to ether send just music data to the express but network on wired.

OR

I want to run a ethernet cable over to the express to stream from the G5 but also have the iBook to wirelessly send music to it.

starman · Jun 7, 2004, 02:02 PM

I don't even want to send it wired - I want to send it wireless.

However:

1) How do you set it up on a hidden/encrypted wireless network?

2) Is the AExpress device seen with its own MAC address as a device on the network? Will it have its own IP address?

3) Can I go from a wired computer to the AExpress device as easily as I can connect to my TiVo, as the TiVo's on the wireless bridge with its own IP address?

Mike

fhoubi · Jun 7, 2004, 02:07 PM

Damn.. this is confusing. Does it work with a snow base station? If so, it seems Airtunes & USB printing only, but appearantly no bridging...

vmarks · Jun 7, 2004, 02:08 PM

Originally posted by Landos Mustache:
So you can't use the express as a stand alone unless everything is unwired as it only has one ethernet port.

But starman question is a good one. I have a wired network and an unwired one, I want the G5 to ether send just music data to the express but network on wired.

OR

I want to run a ethernet cable over to the express to stream from the G5 but also have the iBook to wirelessly send music to it.

Incorrect. take that one enet port and put it into a hub or switch. Apple says it can be connected to your local network, so do it that way.

Eug Wanker · Jun 7, 2004, 02:10 PM

jimcpherson · Jun 7, 2004, 02:30 PM

Can you use two Airport Express at the same time (in order to connect to two stereos in two difefrent rooms)?

vmarks · Jun 7, 2004, 02:32 PM

Originally posted by jimcpherson:
Can you use two Airport Express at the same time (in order to connect to two stereos in two difefrent rooms)?

Yes.

Every Stereo Deserves AirPort Express

Buy more than one AirPort Express Base Station and connect one to every stereo or set of powered speakers in your house � for example, you can connect one to your stereo in your bedroom, one to your stereo in your living room and still another to a pair of powered speakers in your kitchen. Its small size and affordability make it perfect for having more than one. Imagine being able to play your iTunes music on whichever speakers in your house you prefer.

Millennium · Jun 7, 2004, 02:41 PM

Originally posted by starman:
Ok, let's say my G5 is wired, but I want to stream to my stereo upstairs. I get an AE card for my G5. Will my Mac be smart enough to keep itself on the wired network and still stream over WiFi, or are Macs stuck on only one kind of connection?

At least in theory, there shouldn't be a problem with this.

The other thing you could try would be to invest in a small network switch (a tiny 4-port switch would be enough; these are very cheap nowadays). Connect the G5, the cable modem (or DSL modem as the case may be), and the AirPort Express all to this switch; the Internet connection needs to go into the uplink port if the switch has one, but the others can go anywhere.

I know this will work, because I have a similar setup at home.

Millennium · Jun 7, 2004, 02:42 PM

Originally posted by vmarks:
"AirPort Extreme and AirPort Express can extend the range only of an AirPort Extreme or AirPort Express wireless network."

HOWEVER: I expect that the other base stations using the same chipset as Apple uses (broadcom, in linksys, etc.) may mean other bases work- just aren't officially supported.

Actually, I'm guessing that the bridging functionality depends on Rendezvous. That shouldn't actually be much of a problem -the standard's open, and Apple has a reference implementation out there- but not many routers support it yet.

andretan · Jun 7, 2004, 02:49 PM

Just the thing I've been waiting for!

Wireless printing! Hopefully it works WITHOUT any problems. Heh.

Landos Mustache · Jun 7, 2004, 02:52 PM

Originally posted by andretan:
Just the thing I've been waiting for!

Wireless printing! Hopefully it works WITHOUT any problems. Heh.

Uh, thing has been around for years.

turtle777 · Jun 7, 2004, 02:56 PM

Originally posted by Landos Mustache:
Oh I guess I am a little confused. I thought this is something that you have to add to your existing airport base station.

This thing is a stand alone base-station then?

Yes, it is.

It is supposed to work in hotels that only supply broadband via ethernet. And that is essentially the same as a cable modem.

So yes, it should work as a small portable base station.

Gosh, this thing is freakin AWESOME !

-t

Eug Wanker · 03:03 PM

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
Is the main Airport page screwed up for you too? It looks like they have the wrong graphic inserted in the composite title image or something.

I'd post a screengrab but I don't access to my ftp from here.

Interesting... I just logged out and re-logged back into my Windows 2000 box and then cleared my IE 6 cache, and I still get the distorted picture.

So I downloaded Firefox for Windows, and it loads the same page just fine. Well, mostly. Sometimes there is a little vertical line in the middle of the pic in Firefox.

Something is wonky with Windows Internet Explorer 6.0 and this site.

EDIT:

I just checked it on another Win 2000 computer with IE 5.5. Same problem. I guess those Apple web designers don't think IE for Windows is used enough to bother checking it.

turtle777 · Jun 7, 2004, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by cenutrio:
Extremely smart for a very good price!

It's awesome.

This is the first time in a long while that I thought that Apple is really CHEAP !

-t

turtle777 · Jun 7, 2004, 03:00 PM

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:

Something is wonky with Windows Internet Explorer 6.0 and this site.

Yep, same here with IE 6.0 under XP.

Yes, Apple, pay M$ back !

-t

Landos Mustache · Jun 7, 2004, 03:03 PM

Ok I want to get it but my stereo is not near my printer. So i am sorta stuck.

turtle777 · Jun 7, 2004, 03:08 PM

Originally posted by Landos Mustache:
Ok I want to get it but my stereo is not near my printer. So i am sorta stuck.

No, you're not.

Just get two AE.

-t

iDaver · Jun 7, 2004, 03:23 PM

Originally posted by Landos Mustache:
Ok I want to get it but my stereo is not near my printer. So i am sorta stuck.

Buy two! edit: Oops, Turtle777 beat me to it.

turtle777 · Jun 7, 2004, 03:24 PM

Originally posted by iDaver:
Buy two!

I was faster !

-t

Eug Wanker · Jun 7, 2004, 03:25 PM

Originally posted by turtle777:
Yep, same here with IE 6.0 under XP.

Yes, Apple, pay M$ back !

The front page is also screwed up in Windows IE 6. There is a purple border around both parts of the Apple front page image for Airport Express.

This border is there in Firefox 0.8 for Windows too, only blue this time instead of purple.

Randman · Jun 7, 2004, 03:28 PM

Or buy one and plug it in near your printer when needed, then plug it back into the stereo.
I wonder how it'll work with connectivity. Could you create a wireless network (like my iBooks) and still have Internet access? That would be great.

Eug Wanker · Jun 7, 2004, 03:31 PM

Originally posted by Randman:
Or buy one and plug it in near your printer when needed, then plug it back into the stereo.

Kinda defeats the point of wireless doesn't it?

motti · Jun 7, 2004, 03:40 PM

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:

Optical?? How can that be, I can't see any toslink output?

The Placid Casual · Jun 7, 2004, 03:40 PM

OK, I'm confused! � questions if I may...

1. Could I plug my DSL modem into the Express, say downstairs in my house, and then pick up the connection on my G5 and G4 (with an Extreme card and Airport card respectively), upstairs?

2. Could I also then connect the Express base station to my stereo downstairs and play my music from my upstairs machines through the downstairs stereo?

3. Could I then connect another Express station to a stereo on the 3rd floor of my house and play music through that as well as wirelessly browse with my laptop up there?

If so, this could be very cool.

Synotic · Jun 7, 2004, 03:41 PM

Originally posted by Eug Wanker:
The front page is also screwed up in Windows IE 6. There is a purple border around both parts of the Apple front page image for Airport Express.

This border is there in Firefox 0.8 for Windows too, only blue this time instead of purple.

Makes sense... they forgot to include a "border=0" on the image. Some browsers like Mozilla/Windows browsers put a border around linked images to indicate that you can click on them. The colors correspond to the standard link colors. It's purple in IE because you clicked on it or have been to the page it references. It's blue in Firefox because you probably just checked the front page and didn't click through. If you cared to know

It's kind of odd that they didn't even check Windows/Mozilla-based browsers though.. Or at least they didn't think it was too important.

Re: airport express.. looks pretty nifty.. can you just go anywhere where there's ethernet (assuming there's dhcp).. plug it in and be able to see on your laptop? I don't know how often I'd use it but it would be nice to have. Seems like it would be very easy to steal though. Since it requires the internet to operate however, I'd assume it would be possible to e-mail it's location to the owner?...

turtle777 · Jun 7, 2004, 03:45 PM

Originally posted by motti:
Optical?? How can that be, I can't see any toslink output?

It's a combined analog / optical output.
You will find the same in Sony MD players.
Trust me, it works !

-t

tekno_geek911 · Jun 7, 2004, 03:46 PM

Apple does it once again!

mitchell_pgh · Jun 7, 2004, 03:46 PM

I can see this unit being very popular in many niche markets.

For the mainstream, I see the person looking for a cheap wireless connection and print server jumping on this.

Very interesting piece of hardware.

Eug Wanker · Jun 7, 2004, 03:51 PM

Originally posted by motti:
Optical?? How can that be, I can't see any toslink output?

Oooohhh... I missed the optical when I posted that pic. Thanks for pointing that out. Very nice.

I'm thinking that optical will require an add-on dongle or something, for another $29.

Xeo · Jun 7, 2004, 03:51 PM

I would have ordered one right now if I could have gotten it. It looks like a wonderful little device. I can take it with me and hook up to my dad's cable modem, take it with me on trips, lots of cool stuff. I would have loved to take it to Japan with me. Right now I'm taking my linksys but this would have been much more convenient.